Cabinet colour is the decision people agonise over most, because repainting a kitchen is a real project, not a weekend. The good news: the colours that have aged well are pretty predictable, and they are broader than "just do white."

The safe middle (will look fine in 15 years)

• Warm white and off-white — not stark builder-white; something with a hint of cream or greige so it reads soft under NH's cool northern light.
• Greige and soft warm grey — the "not quite white, not quite taupe" range. Reads neutral, hides more, pairs with every counter.
• Natural and light-stained wood — rift white oak, light hickory. Wood is back and this time it is lighter and matte.

The confident choices (aged well so far)

• Deep green — sage through forest. It has been "in" long enough now to be closer to a classic, especially on a base or an island.
• Navy and deep blue — same story. Best below the counter with a lighter perimeter.
• Black and charcoal — striking on an island or a hood surround; a whole black kitchen needs a lot of natural light.

Where colour has dated fastest

Very yellow-toned honey oak and cherry, dark espresso ("builder brown," ~2010), and cool blue-greys with no warmth. Not because they are bad — because they were on everything for a few years and now read as a specific date.

The two-tone rule

The most reliable way to use a bolder colour is to put it on the island or the lower cabinets and keep the perimeter light. It gives you the personality without committing the whole room, and if you tire of it you are repainting one section. Take the cabinet door & finish finder for a direction, and see real painted doors on the floor at our Keene showroom before you commit — paint colours shift a lot under different light.

A note on custom colours

Nearly every line we carry will match a specific paint colour (Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball, whatever you bring). It is a small premium over a stock colour and worth it if you have found the exact one. See custom-colour cabinets.